Saint Patrick's Online:

The notion of building a new church began from very practical considerations. The parish had grown so much that the 1956 church really was not serving us well. The Activities Room, originally meant for periodic overflow, was needed all the time and effectively created two congregations at a single Mass. And the growth in Pike County and the Milford area was predicted to continue its increase. I investigated expanding that church, but found that there was really no practical or cost-effective way to do that. I say the notion “began” with practical considerations, because then it took on the whole idea of a vision. I was very much aware of the words that Jesus from the San Damiano cross has said to Saint Francis of Assisi, “Rebuild my church.” From that the vision grew to apply to building a new church but also “rebuilding” the people of the church. The new building was to symbolize a new and vibrant faith for the parish. Practical notions become visions very slowly. But now I can state it fairly certainly that my purpose was to build a new church and answer our present needs and the needs of the future. But even moreso, my goal was to bring back the joy of the Catholic faith. Living the faith is difficult but it is a wonderful adventure in partnership with God. Church scandals and many other things had sucked the joy right out of the faith. We needed to regain our pride in being Catholic and the joy in living it. It is my hope that the beauty of the church will bring beauty to the people; that the joy in seeing it accomplished will inspire hope for the future; and that our rejoicing together will be a cause for lasting joy. Father Mullally

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What an incredible experience it was earlier this year to visit the Guggenheim Museum to view the Russian icons. Standing beneath the largest of the icons, I felt bathed in a supernatural holiness in a way I'd never felt before. I realized that the practically palpable holiness I felt had come not from the image per se nor from the material it was made from but, rather, from the tremendous devotion, faith, hope, and love with which the artists and the centuries of prayerful viewers had imbued it. The icon seemed to be emanating ancient others' spirituality and calling for us modern viewers to join them in a timeless worship of God. That day I truly understood how a thing can be sacred, how an object can be a vessel that contains our human adoration. I felt a communion with those Russian peasants who, so long ago, saw and felt what I saw and felt in 2006. I was, of course, compelled to pray, to reciprocate, to add my morsel of humble adoration of That Which inspired the icon and not just selfishly to absorb holiness from it. Therefore, I was so especially moved by St. Patrick's new building when I finally got to spend an hour at Mass this morning and then again this evening. The new church doesn't have that "new building" feeling I expected. Instead, there is already a store of both homeliness and holiness within it because of all the art objects brought over from old St. Pat's and the other churches. Like the icons at the Guggenheim show, new St. Patrick's old windows, Stations, and some of the statues seem to me to be "imbued" with the devotion and attention that we paid to these objects in their former home(s). What a comfort to have the same old wonderful Stations of the Cross bas reliefs lovingly displayed in their new place of honor. Being able to see them as a panorama demands that we in the pews think about them in a way that their arrangement in old St. P's didn't demand. How happy I was to see the good old real candle stands for non-electric candles! I detest electric candles. On the other hand, it's a little disconcerting to me that both Mary and Joseph have a baby Jesus in their arms (twin Jesuses!) and that they are on the wrong side of the church. Mary has always been on the left in all my former parishes, and Joseph on the right. I also don't like the new bells. From inside the church they sound to me like pan lids dropping onto a tile floor, harsh, not melodious. As an artist, my husband Tom loves the new altar piece. However, I preferred the old crucifix and miss it. To me, Mary looks like a frantic nun rather than a bereft mother, and I wish the other two Marys were there along with her and St. John, since they historically were there till the end. Maybe I'll get used to this new altar scene, but I doubt it. De gustibus non disputandum. And, as I said, the artist in the family approves. I heard recently that there are two kinds of priests and you can tell them apart by which cross they prefer over the altar -- the Christ Crucifed or the Christ Ascended (the Christus Rex). Note that we have both! Despite my not favoring the new painted Christ Crucified, I am nuts about the window of the Ascension that rises above it. I think it's the most magnificent work of art in Milford. Tom and I agree that St. Patrick never looked better, now that he is in his rightful place to greet and "supervise" (in the Latin root sense) everyone. I think St. Patrick's Church now should be included in Milford/Pike's lists of places for tourists to see. It has achieved something miraculous -- a feeling of home, though brand new; a repository of great art; and instant holiness. What a beautiful respect has been shown for those who came before us! How reassuring that the sacrifices we made to build this church will probably be similarly respected in the future. I think Father Mullally was inspired and wise. He did a courageous and important job in building this church. Although I am now one of many who are proud of both him and our new church, I wish I had had faith in his vision from the start. However, I was definitely one of the skeptics until I realized the NECESSITY of this parish's building "to the greater glory of God." God bless our church, our pastor, our parishoners, and our neighbors. In a world full of destruction and evil, something very good and creative has come about in Milford. Hallelujah, indeed! Elizabeth Murphy

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I love our new church. It is still warm and inviting which is the one thing I worried about when we were building a new church. It is a loving tribute to God . It shows we are a great faith community that honors the glory of God, and cares and prays for each other. I love that it easier for Cliff, our loving and dedicated Deacon. I love the natural light and the beauty of the stained glass windows all around the altar. I love the alter. It is a tribute to the beauty God our creator has given us so freely to use and enjoy, The marble, the stone, the wood ceiling. I love the 11 am mass because the church is full. I love that we know and care about each other. I tell everyone to come to our church because there is so much love there. I will be bringing 2 guests by the end of the month because I talk so much about St Patrick's! Diana Healey

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To the Parishioners of St. Patrick's Church: Thank you for your hard work and dedication and all of your time, talent and treasure to build this new church, a beacon of faith for all of us in the Tri-State Area. Your hard work and faith has blessed me throughout my life: The sisters who taught me kindergarten and prayed for me, the parishioners who loved and walked with me and the pastors who gently guided me in the way of the Gospel. I grew up in Milford and even though at that time I was not Catholic, St. Patrick's influenced my life. The parishioners who then, and still, welcome me are examples of the proclaiming Gospel "often without using words." I remember clearly observing classmates and their families who were Catholic, and being somehow drawn to their faith, some names familiar to you still: Kiley, McKittrick, Fean, Hinkle, Fleming, Hoffman, Lovett, VanLierde, McCarthy. Over the years, more and more of these living stones were added to my life. I was overwhelmed with emotion at the Celebration at Evening Prayer. A beautiful church, a sign that there still is a life in Christ here in my hometown, built on the very site the sisters taught me and gave me my very first glimpse of Catholicism. Again, thank you all. I am proud to call you my friends in Christ. Peace and all good, Norma Prigge

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I just wanted to say that the New St. Patrick's is absolutely beautiful. I looked through all the photos and I must say it is exquisite. There is a lot of symbolism and the stained glass windows and the crucifix behind the altar are incredible!!!! I can't wait to be able to say Mass someday at that altar! It must feel good to have the building behind you now. I am sure that that is very stressful. The event of having a new St. Patrick's must have been such an incredible accomplishment for everyone. I am sure the people of St. Patrick's are thrilled and feel a great sense of pride and joy! You would have to, a small community to create something so beautiful. I have been keeping St. Patrick's in my prayers this whole month in a special way for the new Church. Congratulations!!! Philip-Michael Tangorra (Seminarian, North American College, Rome)

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As I told many on the day of Dedication... I was worried when I was there for the retreat .... BUT when I saw what happened in those two weeks! WoW! I love the cross above the altar...and so happy you duplicated it for people like me...It brings the whole church together, and the colors meld with the stained glass windows from the old church... I was thrilled to see the beautiful white marble sanctuary, the altar and the altar of reposition. Can't wait to celebrate the Eucharist there and to preach. Finally a pulpit to fit all my NOTES on!!! God Bless all whole envisioned this beautiful temple of the Lord, and who worked so hard to make it happen! Cosmic blessings for a beautiful future! Your friend and good friar, fr.Kevin Cronin, ofm

We are only three days past the Dedication of our new church. The entire day was a wonderful affirmation and celebration of our shared Catholic faith. Surrounded by the awesome beauty of the new church, our senses overwhelmed with the smell of incense, the pealing of bells and well-prepared music, we joined our brothers and sisters, led by our bishop, in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass. Things, religiously speaking, simply could not have been better. Then, when the lengthy ceremony was almost over, the bishop spoiled it for some members of the congregation. All would have gone perfectly, if only he had exercised appropriate restraint and avoided any mention of the Catholic duty to live the faith even when we enter the voting booth. Can’t we have at least one nice day when the very politically incorrect issue of abortion doesn’t have to mentioned? And what of the “separation of church and state?”

Now, you are wondering if I am being serious at all or if this is entirely “tongue in cheek.” Well, the part about the beauty of the day is true. Only the most miserable people took the time to search for something to find wrong and complain. I don’t have to tell you that there are always some of those. But the part about the inappropriateness of the bishop’s closing remarks? I am not making that up. Some people opined that it was entirely “inappropriate” for him to use such an occasion to speak about how our Catholic faith must influence our politics. Imagine that some Catholics would consider the Dedication of a new church an inappropriate occasion for their bishop to teach the truth of the Gospel as it must be reflected in their lives and on which they will be judged!

What is really “inappropriate” is the attitude that allows any Catholic to make themselves the judge of the appropriateness of their bishop’s preaching. The sheep, in effect, telling the shepherd, were he ought to lead them and how they should get there. If the bishop had taken a deep breath and decided to avoid upsetting anyone, he would have left Saint Patrick’s having been unfaithful to the ministry entrusted to him. Had he satisfied himself with wishing everyone a nice day rather than mentioning the hard truth that abortion kills a developing human life, he would have been politically correct at the risk of his own salvation.

Our bishop, thanks be to God, was courageous in speaking the truth regardless of whether some found it unsettling or inappropriate. Congratulations Bishop Martino for reminding us that, above all, Jesus calls us to faithfulness. Thank you, dear Bishop, for offering us the opportunity to live in the grace we experienced in the Mass and for challenging us to make our lives and our souls as beautiful and pleasing to God as our new church. Many off us are grateful that you led us out of our newly consecrated church to live consecrated lives. We only pray that we have the courage and the grace to follow.